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With six seconds remaining during Thursday night's Pro Football Hall of Fame Game and the Carolina Panthers setting up five yards from the goalline, third-string rookie quarterback Haynes King dropped back into a clean pocket, created by third- and fourth-string offensive linemen, and noticed an opening up the middle.
Darting through the blocks of center Nick Samac and guard Ja'Tyre Carter, King absorbed a hit from Arizona Cardinals linebacker Austin Keys near the 2-yard line, but had enough strength to muscle his way into the endzone as time expired, clinching a 33-30 victory at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
King did more than engineer a 13-play, 65-yard, game-winning drive in the final 1:55 of his NFL debut; the 2025 ACC Offensive Player of the Year likely earned a spot on the Panthers' 53-man regular-season roster as the franchise's developmental signal-caller.
After King completed 21 of 34 passes for 180 yards and compiled 39 yards rushing on three attempts, any temptations Panthers general manager Dan Morgan may have had in releasing the prospect on cutdown day and re-signing him on the practice squad were likely dashed.
Panthers' Haynes King assumes developmental QB role
It's unlikely 31 other teams would pass on a dual-threat who has proven he can perform in clutch situations, working with backup players who have had limited training-camp snaps. King guided the Panthers to scores on five of his six drives.
The three-year, $3.1 million contract he signed last April as a priority undrafted free agent appears secure. Likely locked into a No. 3 role, will coach Dave Canales seek ways to utilize King's speed and athleticism on gadget plays during the regular season?
When King said last Tuesday that "whatever you put on film, it's gonna be there forever," the former George Tech standout understood what a solid performance could mean for his future.
MORE: Panthers UDFA QB Haynes King out to prove he belongs in Hall of Fame Game
"We taught him everything he knows," Canales said during his post-game press conference. "There are different ways to make big plays in this game. There's no formula. We're not trying to make Haynes anything other than what he is. And so, just letting him kind of grow into that."
Canales noted that, five plays before the walk-off scamper, King faced a third-and-14 play from the Cardinals' 43-yard line with 39 seconds left. Like his finale, King dropped back into a clean pocket and sprinted up the middle for a 26-yard gain. The 25-year-old realized he needed to stop the clock, so he reversed direction and muscled his way out of bounds.
"The bottom line is move the chains," Canales said. "He took the yards and kept the drive alive."
He also established himself as the Panthers' developmental QB.
More NFL news:
- UDFA QB Haynes King aims to perfect plays anywhere, takes work to Panthers' parking lot
- Ja'Tavion Sanders, Panthers' tight ends seek more production
- Panthers' Bryce Young buries defense during NFL training camp practice
- Newcomer Cam Gill in game-shape for first Panthers practice in pads
- Panthers DL Cam Jackson embraces Tershawn Wharton's coaching
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